Diana Hurtado:  

After I graduated from dear old Marshall, I attended LACC for three semester, and transferred to USC. I had a different major every semester: Poli Sci, English, History, and Education. It was Elementary Education that caught my passion, and I graduated from USC with a BSEd. Mother and I moved to Anaheim then. My first teaching position (1972) was with LAUSD at West Vernon Ave. School, where I taught 1st and 3rd grades. For five years, I was out of the classroom as a reading teacher (ECE), Gifted and Talented teacher and coordinator, Math Reasource teacher. Science Resource and demonstration teacher, and School Improvement Coordinator. It was during my to-year stinit at West Vernon that I earned my Master's Degree in Education (K-12), Currriculum and Design at USC. I also received my Administrative Credential (K-12) and Clear Life Credential. In 1982, I resigned from LAUSD, and was jobless until October. I had applied to the Anaheim City School District, K-6) among others, but it was reduction year and no new hires were accepted. Since I had Gifted Education experience, I was called to be a replacement for a GATE teacher in Anaheim. Thus began my 28 years as a GATE teacher in Anaheim. My school, Alexander J. Stoddard Elementary School was only seven minutes away from my home. It was good to be close to word, but also bad since I was in Stoddard's attendance area which meant I was always "on-stage" with a myraid of kids, some of whom were in my class. During the next 28 years at Stoddard, I taught 4th, 5th, 5/6th, and 6th grade GATE students in a full-day setting. I was the school representative for three textbook adoptions (Reading, Math twice, and Science) and was the pilot teacher for each new adoption. I was also the Math and Science school rep., which meant I went to district meetings and got new info and materials for myselt and my school. Needless to say, I loved getting the latest about those two fields. I was also the AEEA school rep (Anaheim Elementary E...Expand for more